Improvement in condensers



UNITED STATES PATENT DEEIGE.

HORACE A. TOWNE, OF HANNIBAL, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN CONDENSOERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,060, dated August 19, 1,873; application filed i J une 24, 1873.

, tion upon line a; x of Fig. 1.

f Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

My invention is an improvement upon a condenser for which VLetters Patent No. 134,263

were issued to Draper and Covington upon the24th day of December, 1872; and it consists, principally, in the employment of a condenser composed of a flat pipe coiled spirally around a vertical axis, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified. It consists, further, in the employment of an airpipe, which extends vertically upward from the condenser, and is uninclosed at its upper end, substantially as and for thepurpose hereinafter shown. It consists, further, in the employment of a valve within the upper portion of the air-pipe, substantially as and forthe purpose hereinafter set forth. It consists, further, in the relative arrangement of the condenser, pure-water reservoir, and air-pipe, substantially as and-for the purpose hereinafter shown and described.

In the annexed drawings, A represents a tub or reservoir, constructed, preferably, of wood, open at its upper side, and supported in an elevated position upon or by means of a suitable frame, B. Directly beneath said tub A is a reservoir, (l, inclosed at all points, and connected with the former by means of a inetal pipe, D, which extends upward from the center of the upper side of said reservoir through the center of said tub A, and at its upper end is uninclosed, so as to afford free admission of air. Within the lower side of the tub A is placed a pipe, E, which has, preferably, a rectangular form in cross-section, and is coiled spirally around the pipe D, with its `inner end communicating with the latter and its outer end passing outward through the side of said tub. The tub A is supplied with cool water by means of a pipe, F, that enters near the lower end of the same, which water afterward escapes from said tub through a second pipe, G, that passes outward from or near the upper end of the latter.

As thus arranged, the exhaust steam from an engine is caused to pass into and through the pipe E, where it loses temperature and becomes condensed in consequence of the cool- 4ing inuence of the cold water upon the outsuch steam as would otherwise pass into the open air.

A valve, I, is placed within the pipe D, just above the tub A, for the purpose of regulating the pressure within the condenser, and for controlling the admission of air thereto, when desired. In order that the surplus heat of the exhaust steam may be utilized for the pur pose of warming a building, said steam, beforeenterin g the condenser, is caused to pass through a metal cylinder, K, in which is contained a spiral coil of water-pipe, L, the upper end of which communicates with the wastewater pipe of said condenser, while its lower end is connected with the usual heater-pipes that extend around a room. By this arrangement the waste water, which has become cousiderably heated before leaving the condenser, receives a large increase of temperature while passing through the cylinder K, so as to better fit it for the office to be performed, while the exhaust steam has its temperature corre'- spondingly lowered, as is thereby more easily condensed. h

The discharge-pipe H of the reservoir O is connected with the upper end of the cylinder K so as to cause the condensed water to pass into the same, and, in falling, to come into contact with the exhaust steam and have a portion of its lost temperature restored, after which said water is taken from the lower end of said cylinder and conveyed to the boiler.

As it is necessary to make up for the loss of water occasioned by leakage of the boiler and engine, escape of steam from the safetyvalve, &c., a pipe, M, is extended from the tub A downward to the upper end of the cylinder K, and supplied with a suitable valve, m, by means of which the quantity of fresh water permitted to pass into the latter may be regulated at will.

rIhe apparatus is now complete, and possesses the followingadvantages; First, from the peculiar construction of the condensercoil a very large extent of surface is exposed to the action of cold water, while but little space is occupied by said coil, and it is thereby rendered capable of use in places where it would be impracticable to employ other forms ot' condenser. Second, by the use of the airpipe all liability to back pressure upon the engine, or to a collapse of the condenser, is avoided, and, at the same time, a better result is produced ,than would be practicable Without said pipe. Third, by use of the heatercylinder the condensation of the steam is hastened, the feed-water is caused to enter the boiler at nearly the boiling-point, and a large percentage of otherwise Waste heat is rendered available for the purpose of warmin g a building. Fourth, the entire apparatus is simple iu construction, efficient in operation, is compact, and can be furnished at a comparatively small cost.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, what I claim as newr 1s- 1. A condenser composed of a flat pipe coiled spirally around a vertical axis within a water-reservoir, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with the steam-pipe of a condenser, a vertical air-pipe, connected there- With at its lower end and uninclosed at its upper end, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

3. In combination with the air-pipe D, communicating with and extending upward from the condenser-pipe E, the va-lve I, pivoted within said air-pipe, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The relative arrangement of the condenser A and E, the reservoir O, and the airpipe D, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of June, 1873.

H. A. TOWNE.

. Witnesses:

NAT. COVINGTON, E. D. MURPHY. 

